The role of metals in the history of human civilization message. Metals in the history of mankind. Application of metals and alloys

Gold was the first metal to be discovered and used by man. Then came the turn of copper and, finally, iron. Gold has become the first-born metal for man, not because there is so much of it on Earth and here and there you stumble over golden mountains. There is very, very little gold on Earth and in the earth compared to the reserves of iron, aluminum and copper. But it is found in its native form, shines, attracting attention. Gold is easily processed, and, finally, the most important thing is that it is eternal, it can be stored for an arbitrarily long time.

Man has been gathering since ancient times: he tore fruits from trees, looked for medicinal herbs, nests of birds and burrows of animals, dug edible roots, so why not collect gold pieces? Gold came into human use about 10 thousand years ago and was then used only for jewelry and religious objects.

Copper became the second metal that people recognized and fell in love with. It is also known in its native form, but its main amount is part of various minerals. There is much more copper on Earth than gold, and it has been used more widely. Axes and knives, other tools of ancient labor were made from it. The Copper Age covers the time of 6000-5000 years ago in the history of mankind.

The Copper Age of mankind was replaced by the Bronze Age. Bronze is an alloy of copper with lead, tin and other metals. Perhaps for the first time a person received bronze by chance, purely by experience: he smelted copper from various ores, and something new was welded. Bronze is stronger than pure copper, and the art of making it was highly valued in ancient times. It quickly spread to all corners of human civilization.

The Bronze Age began 6,000 years ago and lasted about 3,000 years.

Bronze was replaced by iron - now the most common and necessary metal for man. Iron is practically never found in native form: it must be smelted from ore. What is an ore? Accumulation of certain minerals. From them, one way or another, you can get a metal or an alloy of metals. Ores are distinguished by the composition of minerals, technological properties, content of useful components, impurities.

The fate of metals and alloys in history has been changeable. For example, aluminum, obtained as a pure metal only in the 19th century, was first used to make jewelry and was valued more than silver, and today airplanes and cheap camp beds are made from it.

From the Ural platinum in 1828-1845, coins were minted in denominations of 3, 6 and 12 rubles, and then the entire supply of platinum was sold to England as unnecessary. But platinum today is one of the most valuable metals, noble and respected. Today, Russian platinum coins of the 19th century are the cherished dream of collectors. In honor of the XX Moscow Olympiad (1980), new platinum coins with a denomination of 150 rubles were issued.

Silver at the beginning of its career in the world of people was valued more than gold.

In ancient Rome, lead was used to make pipes for plumbing. Today, lead is recognized as a poisonous heavy metal.

For a long time, uranium and many rare and rare earth elements could not be used. But ever since the first uranium mine was discovered, uranium has been the number one challenge for many geologists around the world. They tried to find uranium in all imaginable and unimaginable natural formations: soils, waters, plants, rocks and minerals. And of course we found it. It turns out that uranium ore can be fossil coals, phosphorites, bones of long-extinct fish.

One historical curiosity was associated with the first attempts to find a use for antimony ore - the mineral antimonite. In the Middle Ages in Italy, they began to add it to the food of pigs in large quantities, they quickly grew fat, gaining weight. The owners were happy! But when the abbot of one monastery tried to add antimonite to the food of the monks, many of them were poisoned and died. Hence the mineral and got its name "anti-monk".

Let's take a closer look at other ores that persistent geologists are looking for and which are so necessary for the life of mankind.

Perhaps, without exaggeration, we can safely say that metal is the most common material, humanity actively uses it not only in production, but also in everyday life. If in primitive times, when metal only began to enter into human life, people could still safely do without it, then today not a single person can do without metal. After all, its use in various types it is simply necessary in road and housing construction, in mechanical engineering and other industries. Our company performs dismantling of buildings and metal structures.

Alchemists used to be sure that the metal has a very complex structure. In 1789, the list of metals was expanded to seventeen, their list was published by A.L. Lavoisier in a guide to chemistry. As chemistry developed, so did the number of metals, in the first half of the nineteenth century, alkaline earth and alkali metals were discovered, electrolysis was used for this. By the end of the nineteenth century, with the help of a series of experiments, the discoveries of D.I. Mendeleev, who was able to determine their existence based on the periodic law. After that, an active search in nature for radioactive metals begins, and by the middle of the twentieth century, some of them were created using nuclear transformations.

The development of such branches of mankind as industry, construction, craft, art is very closely connected with the study and use of metals. Each type of metal is very surprising and original, often the history of its discovery is a whole epic, in which very often historical reliable facts are closely intertwined with myths and fiction.

In order for us to fully realize the role that metal plays in our lives, it is enough just to turn around and look around us. The unique properties of each metal made it possible to make human life much more comfortable. Sometimes we just do not think about many things that have become so firmly established in our life and way of life. For example, thanks to the plasticity of aluminum, we can squeeze toothpaste out of a tube. Would we have been able to sharpen a pencil or cut fruit if it were not for a knife with a sharp steel blade? Do not forget about such unique qualities of metal as elasticity, because they are used in a mattress or a safety pin. And what can we say about the kitchen: spoons, forks, pots, pans and even a gas stove and so on, probably no one can imagine it without the presence of metal.

Where did the word "metal" come from? The most common version is as follows: the Greek word metallon, which means mines, mines, is derived from the word metaleuo - I dig, mine from the ground. In Latin, the word metallum means ore and the metal smelted from it. The word metal came to Russia from France, where it sounded like metal

How long ago did people start using metals Copper. During excavations in South-Eastern Anatolia, copper items were found in the layers of hills, whose age is 9200 - 8750 BC. Gold. In Egypt, items made of native gold dating back to 5000-3400 BC were found in burials. Silver. In the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamen (c. 1337 BC) and on his throne, the remains of sheet silver were found. Lead. On the territory of Anatolia, lead items dated to the beginning of the 7th millennium BC were found. Tin. Excavations have shown that in the countries of the Middle East, people knew tin from the middle of the III millennium BC. Mercury. In one of the Egyptian tombs of the XV or XVI centuries BC. mercury was found. Iron. Excavations in Asia Minor have shown that people learned to smelt iron around 1500 BC.

Why humanity has managed for centuries with seven metals 1. Consider the content of seven metals in the Earth's crust: Gold 4.3 * 10 -7% by weight; Silver 1*10 -5% by weight; Copper 5 * 10 -3% by weight; Tin 2 * 10 -4% by weight; Lead 1.6 * 10 -3% by weight; Mercury 8*10 -8% by weight; Iron 4.65% by weight. For comparison - aluminum - the content in the Earth's crust reaches 8.6% by weight. Conclusion: for our distant ancestors, the encounter with metals was determined primarily not by the prevalence of metals in nature, but by the presence of these metals in the form of nuggets. So the prevalence of native silver in relation to gold nuggets is about 20%, and in relation to copper nuggets - only 0.2%. Therefore, man first became acquainted with copper and gold, and then with silver.

Why mankind managed for centuries with seven metals 2. The seven metals of antiquity radically changed the life of mankind, laid the foundation for the technical achievements of subsequent generations. For centuries and even millennia, mankind managed with seven metals, got used to it and created another myth that there are seven metals in the world. 3. The coming era of alchemists tried to create theoretical hypotheses concerning metals and justify the existence of exactly seven metals. Each metal grows in the earth under the influence of a certain planet. By that time, people knew only seven planets, which means that there should be only seven metals: “Seven metals were created by light according to the number of seven planets.”

Alchemists about the nature of metals One of the most enlightened alchemists, Albert the Great, like his other contemporaries, alchemists, believed that all metals were created from mercury, that mercury is the "matter" of metals, and their color is determined by four "spirits" - mercury, sulfur, arsenic and ammonia. Some alchemists considered nature to be alive and animated, therefore they were sure that metals grow and mature in the bowels of the Earth from mixing sulfur with silver. Gold was considered by them as a fully mature metal, and iron - as unripe. Since it was believed that the main component of any of the metals was mercury, and the second component was sulfur, alchemists had a firm belief that by changing the content of mercury and sulfur in the mixture, one metal could be arbitrarily converted into others.

Alchemists on the nature of metals The nature of lead This body is imperfect and impure, composed of impure, unstable, earthy, pulverizing, slightly white on the outside and red on the inside, mercury. So is its sulfur, and one of the most combustible varieties. Lead lacks purity, strength, color. He's undercooked.

Alchemists about the nature of metals The nature of copper Copper is an impure and imperfect metal, composed of impure, unstable, earthy, red without luster, combustible mercury. The same is true of its sulfur. Copper lacks strength, purity, weight. It has too many earthy, non-flammable particles and an impure color.

Alchemists on the nature of metals The nature of iron Iron is an impure, imperfect body, composed of impure mercury, too strong, containing earthy particles, white and red, but without brilliance. It lacks fluidity, purity, weight. It contains too much impure sulfur and earthy combustible particles.

Properties of metals. Plasticity Due to the metallic bond and metallic crystal lattice, metals are generally characterized by high plasticity. The most ductile metals are gold, silver and copper. This property of metals allowed mankind to master such a craft as cold forging of metals, which led to the manufacture of jewelry, and then the manufacture of metal tools.

Properties of metals. Hardness How our ancestors managed to increase the hardness of processed metals: having mastered cold forging, a person later began to forge with preliminary annealing (for example, native copper); man learned to smelt alloys: arsenic bronze, tin bronze, brass, etc. For example, in the Trojan War, all the soldiers were dressed in tin bronze armor and armed with bronze-tipped darts

Properties of metals. Melting point Man has learned to melt metals from ore. But for this it was necessary to reach the temperature necessary for the reduction smelting of ore - the technology with air blowing was developed. A man noticed that some alloys melt at a lower temperature than pure metal - the accumulation of material for the future science - metallurgy and metal science began

The role of metals in the history of mankind 1) Metals helped man create simple tools. 2) Metals turned out to be indispensable in the manufacture of machines - the era of machine production has come. 3) Man discovered the magnetic and electrical properties of metals - the era of electricity has come.

Primary fixation of the material Establish a correspondence between the metal and the “planet”, under the influence of which, according to alchemists, this metal “ripens” on Earth: METAL “PLANET” A) Ag 1. Sun B) Cu 2. Moon C) Sn 3. Mercury D) Au 4. Venus E) Fe 5. Mars E) Pb 6. Jupiter G) Hg 7. Saturn

Primary consolidation of the material Choose three correct answers from the six offered. Among the listed substances, indicate those that are metals: 1 OPTION 2 OPTION 1) Sodium 1) Arsenic 2) Silicon 2) Antimony 3) Sulfur 3) Dubnium 4) Magnesium 4) Nitrogen 5) Aluminum 5) Phosphorus 6) Phosphorus 6) Bismuth

Primary fixation of the material Establish a correspondence between the metal and its property METAL PROPERTY A) Cr 1) the most electrically conductive B) Ag 2) the most fusible C) W 3) the highest brilliance D) Os 4) the most ductile E) Au 5) the most refractory E) Hg 6) the hardest L) Pd 7) the most dense

Organization homework 1. Study paragraphs 4,6; complete tasks 1 - 6, s; 1 - 5, - 9th grade textbook Study paragraph 14; complete tasks 1 - 5, p. 85 – 8th grade textbook 2. How justified was the theory of medieval alchemists that the father of all metals was sulfur? To help you, I give the following information on some minerals: Mineral Formula Pentlandite (Fe,Ni) 9 S 8 Molybdenite MoS 2 Stannine Cu 2 FeSnS 4 Cinnabar HgS Chalcopyrite CuFeS 2 Chalcosine Cu 2 S Galena PbS Argentite Ag 2 S Sphalerite ZnS 3. Discuss at home with parents about the use of metals in the household.

Lecture notes

In the discipline "HISTORY OF THE METALLURGICAL INDUSTRY"

Direction: 22.03.02 "Metallurgy"

Form of study: full-time and part-time

Novotroitsk, 2015

Contents Lecture 1. History of the development of metallurgy 1.1 The role of metals in the development of civilization 1.2 Ancient metallurgy. 1.3. The oldest metals of mankind. 1.4 Periods of human history and metallurgy 1.5 Development of iron and steel industry in Russia. Lecture 2. 2.1 Cheese forge. 2.2 Catalan horn Shtukofeny. A screaming horn for frisking.
Lecture 3. 3.1 History of fuel production for metallurgy. 3.2 Modern production coal coke. Lecture 4. 4.1 Iron minerals in the ancient history of mankind 4.2 Basic minerals and characteristics of iron ores. Lecture. Processes of non-domain production of liquid metal Recommended literature. Applications.

Lecture 1. The history of the development of metallurgy.

Introduction. The role of metals in the development of civilization

The role and importance of metals in the life of human society is very great.

The share of ferrous metals is about 95% of the total metal production. Ferrous metals are widely used in industry, construction, agriculture, at home. Their wide distribution of metals is due to two circumstances.

First, iron is one of the most abundant elements in the earth's crust. Iron oxides occur in nature in the form of large deposits. This allows you to build large mining enterprises, so that the cost of mining ore is low.

Secondly, ferrous metals meet most of the requirements for structural materials in engineering, construction and other industries. Ferrous metallurgy largely determines the level of development of mechanical engineering.

In practice, metals are divided into ferrous (iron and alloys based on it) and non-ferrous. Therefore, metallurgy is divided into ferrous and non-ferrous. The share of ferrous metals currently accounts for about 95% of all metal products produced in the world.

Over the past decades, the annual world consumption metals doubled and this moment is about 1.7 billion. t.

The share of products using ferrous and non-ferrous metals is currently 72-74% of the state's gross national product. It can be argued that in the coming decades, metals will remain the main structural materials and we live in the Iron Age.

The reserves of metals on our planet are estimated quite accurately. The earth's crust (lithosphere) at a depth of approximately 1 km contains the following elements (in weight percent): oxygen - 46.6; silicon - 27.7; aluminum - 8.0; iron - 5.0; magnesium - 2.1; titanium - 0.6; copper - 0.01; nickel - 0.01; tin - 0.004; zinc - 0.004; lead - 0.0016; silver - 0.00001; gold - 0.0000001.

There are quite a lot of metals on earth, such as aluminum, iron, magnesium and titanium. But only a part of the metals is found instead of the birth of such a concentration that makes their extraction rational, from a technical and economic point of view. There are few heavy non-ferrous metals on earth: copper, nickel, tin, zinc and lead. That's why National economy Increasingly, it must meet part of the demand for metals by reusing scrap metal and other waste.

For some time, it was believed that chemistry was becoming the basis of the entire industry, and ferrous metallurgy would give up its positions to synthetic materials. However, this did not happen. Substitutes for metals do not provide the appropriate quality. The processing of synthetic materials is an expensive and time-consuming process, while the recovery and regeneration of ferrous metals have long been mastered and successfully used by industry.

The future of technology - composite materials with unique specific properties - are also created on the basis of ferrous metals.

The role of metals in the history of human civilization

Target
project: Familiarize yourself with the role of metals in history
humanity, the use of metals in various
periods of history, on the use of metals and alloys.

Metals

Metals are a group of elements, in the form of simple substances that have
characteristic metallic properties, such as high thermal and electrical conductivity

The use of metals in various periods

Metals have been known to man since ancient times, however, they are not
found applications until they learned how to process them. In history
development of mankind in terms of duration and intensity of use
appropriate materials emit stone, copper, bronze and
iron age

Application of metals and alloys

Application of metals and alloys
In its pure form, metals are rarely used, more often used
metal alloys.
At this stage of the development of civilization, the most widely
the metal used is iron. The hardness of pure iron
is small, so its alloys are used, usually with
carbon

Sources

1. Emelyanova E. O., Iodko A. G. Organization of cognitive activity
students in chemistry classes in grades 8-9. Supporting notes with
practical tasks, tests: Part II. - M .: School Press, 2002.
(p.110-113)
2. Ushakova O. V. Workbook on chemistry: 8th grade: to the textbook P. A.
Orzhekovsky and others. “Chemistry. Grade 8» / O. V. Ushakova, P. I. Bespalov, P. A.
Orzhekovsky; under. ed. prof. P. A. Orzhekovsky - M .: AST: Astrel:
Profizdat, 2006. (p. 56-59)
3. Chemistry. 8th grade. Proc. for general institutions / P. A. Orzhekovsky, L. M.
Meshcheryakova, M. M. Shalashova. – M.: Astrel, 2012. (§19)
4. Chemistry: 8th grade: textbook. for general institutions / P. A. Orzhekovsky, L. M.
Meshcheryakova, L. S. Pontak. M.: AST: Astrel, 2005. (§§22,23)
5. Encyclopedia for children. Volume 17. Chemistry / Chapter. ed. V.A. Volodin, leading. scientific
ed. I. Leenson. – M.: Avanta+, 2003.

Conclusion

We learned about the role of metals in the history of mankind,
use of metals in different periods
history, about the use of metals and alloys.